People Are Saying

Scientist, Teacher, and Student Reflections

Working with Izolda for four years was an amazing partnership for Walker Mill Middle School. Her deep knowledge and vast skills helped expose students to environmental science and STEM. The benefits of our partnership with Izolda were evident in the Science SLO pre to post assessments and students increased interest in the STEM fields. -Patrice Felton, teacher at Gaywood Elementary School, Maryland

***

Participants do the science in the “Let’s Talk Clouds,” program and a fourth-grade teacher’s comments.

Your ability to teach and interact with students is truly extraordinary. Your ability to engage students from a variety of backgrounds through interactive methods that stimulate curiosity, courage, and connection is remarkable. -Brecken Chinn Swartz, Ph.D., Formerly at the Department of Communication, University of Maryland, College Park, MD

***

I absolutely loved visiting your class on Thursday. I wish I had had time to go with your class to see the experiments/measurements. I was so impressed with your explanations and how engaged your middle-schoolers were – no small feat. The visit was a pleasure and I think you are an excellent instructor! -Rosemary Muir, Lifelong Learning Coordinator, Howard Community College, Columbia, Maryland

***

Helping teachers learn how to make clouds in bottles.

Izolda held the children’s attention and provided opportunities for all of the students to participate in some way. Her broad knowledge was shared in a very engaging way. Her presentation was just perfect for the occasion. -Ingrid Richardson, Teacher of Gifted, K-5, Northside Elementary School, Newnan, Georgia

***

I have worked and trained in Soil Science with Izolda for many years, and in many settings worldwide. Izolda makes science come alive to all students. Her presentation is magical and engaging. She excites and inspires students to understand and want to learn more. -Elissa Levine, Ph.D. NASA Soil Scientist, Retired

***

Participants take part in a soil filtration activity.

Our Earth Ambassadors were completelyamazed by the soils presentation and follow-up ‘Passing Through’ activity conducted by Izolda Trakhtenberg at their Climate Day training. They never thought much about soil and the connections soils have to what we eat and drink every day, the Earth’s albedo, and where we choose to build our homes and businesses. Izolda’s presentation not only made them aware of the connections to these issues (and more), it provided them with an engaging, thought-provoking, visual interactive activity that provided them with clear understandings about how different soils do or do not filter precipitation as it passes through the soils. Added to this is their avid interest in duplicating this activity at their organizations in the future to promote climate awareness with soils science an integral part of the whole.
-Rosemary Millham, PhD, Assistant Professor in Secondary Education, SUNY New Paltz

***

Izolda was superb. She had great balance in instruction and everything flowed. –Tom Albert, NASA/Goddard Space Flight CenterStudent Reflections